I have a 20 amp breaker controlling 2 bedrooms and the main ...

[eerbeek]

I have a 20 amp breaker controlling 2 bedrooms and the main floor bath. It did not trip, but the electricity in those rooms is out. Hardly anything was on at the time of failure... my computer (now on extension cord to another outlet), a couple of night lights, a space heater, 2 hard wired smoke detectors and that`s it. I`ve tried resetting it to no avail. Any suggestions on what is wrong?

[markmark]

Check the GFCI receptacles, and see if they tripped. If you just recently started to use the space heater, that could be causing the GFCI receptacles to trip. Space heaters consume a Huge amount of electricity.

[eerbeek]

Thanks for your reply. Only the bath has a GFCI and that is OK. Space heater is a lightweight of 1500 watts max. WEIRD HAPPENING: The power was restored for a minute, but then went out again (again, no tripping). Further, the furnace breaker, which has been a bit of a problem lately is also not working. For the furnace, I would have to turn the breaker OFF to avoid an intermittant sound that sounds like it was starting up, but then it wouldn't. Sometimes, if I left it off for a while and turned it back on, the furnace would kick on. Always, though, I would get the noises of the furnace "heating up" or whatever before the weird noise. I'm not getting the noises anymore. Gas furnace. PS: I'm in Michigan, so a furnace is kind of important in December.

[eerbeek]

OH! A while back (2 months at least), my alarms started to go off. I tried to turn the breaker off, but they wouldn't shut up. Had to call the fire dept. who came out, pulled one detector and a little water came out. No other problem, roof was checked, etc. The detector was in one of the rooms that is now out of power. Any reasonable connection?

[markmark]

Your space heater is not a lightweight. A 1500 watt space heater operating at 110 volts, is consuming 13.63 amps, which is a HUGE amount of current. Now add a couple of 100 watt lights, that is 1.8 amps. Now add the computer with monitor, and I would guess that would be about 4 amps, (I'm guessing at 4 amps) now your amperage is at 19.43, and that is when breakers and GFCI start to trip. Plus your smoke detectors. Check all the GFCI receptacles around the house. Sometimes a GFCI in one room, will control the power in another room. Take the space heater out of the loop for a while, and see what happens.

[eerbeek]

Thanks so much! I'll hit all the GFCI's, turn off the space heater and see what happens. Also, while you ponder my dilemma, other random outlets suddenly stopped working as well. One had my cordless drill charging and a night light. One just had a night light. Let me run around the house and I'll meet you back here!

It's dark here... this is really becoming FUN!

[eerbeek]

OK, just two GFCI's 1 in kitchen, one in bath. Both reset buttons are pushed "in". Reset breaker, still nothing. Experiment: Replugged in the cordless drill and the power light would dim and brighten randomly, but the charging light wouldn't come on at all. At first I thought the random outlet problem was on one side of the house, but it's on 2 exterior walls, both up and downstairs. Ceiling Lights and one outlet upstairs (just a bedroom loft area) work, but other outlets don't. Space heater is off. Should I press the "test" buttons on the GFCI's? I was afraid to do something wrong that would make things worse.

[eerbeek]

One more thing: The power drill outlet that doesn't work is only 2.5 feet (on the same wall) from an outlet that DOES work. Also, no previous problems running the things I listed, although my hair dryer would trip a breaker now and then if there was too much on the circuit. But that was always a bonifide TRIP. The breaker switch hasn't moved.

[markmark]

On the GFCI press "test" then "reset".

[eerbeek]

The one in the bathroom (where there is NO electric) will NOT reset to the "pressed in" position. The one in the kitchen (where there IS electric) reset with no problem. I'm no electrician, but I bet this MEANS something. New event today: Went out to do laundry (service porch off kitchen) and neither appliance will work, however, the night light is glowing in the outlet where the washer is plugged in and overhead as well as outdoor light work. My guess: that there is enough juice in the outlet to power a night light, but nowhere near enough for the washer. The dryer is on a separate 220 outlet. Both appliances plug into the same wall as the circuit box, but on the other side. The laundry hook up is relatively new from summer.